DCM-1 Installation Guide

The complete install, start to verified, in about 10 minutes. The Quick Start card in the box covers power-up, WiFi, and the verification test; this page is everything, including app setup, mounting, and wiring. LED meanings and troubleshooting live on the Support page.

What's in the box

1. Install the batteries

Pull the insulator tab in the battery compartment. Use 3× AA 1.5V lithium only (never alkaline or rechargeable).

The DCM-1 flashes its startup sequence: a firmware version stamp (red then green slow flashes), one quick green flash, then five rapid green flashes. Full details on the Support page LED reference.

2. Connect the DCM-1 to WiFi

  1. On your phone, open WiFi settings and join the network that starts with DCM-1- (the rest matches the Device ID on the front label). The DCM-1 shows a red slow pulse while it waits.
  2. A setup page opens automatically. If it doesn't, open any browser and go to 192.168.4.1.
  3. Tap Scan, pick the home WiFi network, enter the password, tap Configure Device.
  4. The DCM-1's own network disappears within a few seconds, that means it joined the home network.
Setup mode times out after 10 minutes (10 quick green flashes, then sleep). Press the reset button once to reopen it.

3. Get the app

Search PianoCloud Monitor on the App Store or Google Play.

4. Select a plan

Pick the plan that fits the number of DCM-1s on the account:

Free trial included. One plan covers every DCM-1 on the account. See in-app pricing.

5. Claim the DCM-1

Open the app. Tap + on the Devices page. Scan the QR code on the DCM-1's front label, or enter the Device ID manually.

6. Mount and wire

Mount on a wooden beam under the piano, away from any metal. The DCM-1 should sit with its lower third below the beam.

Attach:

  1. Peel and press the soft side of the hook-and-loop patch to the rear top of the DCM-1
  2. Wipe the mounting spot on the beam with the alcohol pad
  3. Peel and press the hook side to the beam
  4. Press the DCM-1 onto the beam

Wire:

  1. Untie any cable ties from the humidistat as needed
  2. Unplug the LED Panel plug from the humidistat. Plug it into either jack on the DCM-1
  3. Use the included jumper cable to connect the DCM-1's other jack to the humidistat's LED Panel jack
  4. Route cables out of sight with the included ties

7. Verify the install, about 3 minutes

Before you start: the Piano Life Saver system itself must be healthy. Top up the water and change the pads if needed, and make sure no panel light is flashing. The verification only completes on a system that starts clean, and a fault that will not clear is a real fault, not a test.

Then test one channel at a time, in this order: Water, then Pads, then Power (power goes last because cutting the humidistat's power darkens every reading; testing it last keeps the other two measurements clean, and its recovery doubles as the final all-healthy check). After each change, the app updates within about a minute. Do not skip this. It proves the whole path is working before you leave, and it records what a healthy reading looks like on this piano, each fault you trigger and clear is captured as that unit's own commissioning baseline.

Test Do this App shows Then
Water Unplug the water sensor from the humidistat Water Plug it back in → app clears
Pads Unplug the smart bar sensor from the humidistat Pads Plug it back in → app clears
Power Unplug the humidistat's power Power Plug it back in → app clears

Each test must light up the matching item in the app. If the app shows a different item than the one you unplugged, or shows nothing at all, check the jumper cable at both jacks and run the test again. Still wrong: contact support before leaving the install.

Now open the app and watch live status. Subscribe from the app for push and email alerts, and invite the piano's owner or technician as a watcher.

Reset button (right side)

During the verification test, press reset once and then keep hands off until the rapid green blink stops. A second press during that 10-second window erases the unit's WiFi.

LED reference & troubleshooting

The complete LED reference, WiFi reset walk-through, FAQ, and troubleshooting are on the DCM-1 Support page.

Support

Legal

PianoCloud™ is a trademark of PianoCloud Corporation. Piano Life Saver® and Dampp-Chaser® are registered trademarks of Dampp-Chaser Electronics Corporation. PianoCloud Corporation and Blue Sky Fusion are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Dampp-Chaser Electronics Corporation. Patent Pending.

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